Wales to get additional £200m of UK Gov’t funding to support Covid-19 response through winter months

Wales is to get an additional £200 million in covid funding from the UK Government to support people, businesses and public services with the ongoing impact of pandemic. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Any changes to devolved funding are normally confirmed towards the end of the financial year – but in July the UK Government introduced a guarantee to provide them with funding certainty to respond to Covid-19. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The funding is part of an £800 million package for the devolved nations, Scotland will receive £400m and Northern Ireland £200m and can spend the funding as they see fit. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The announcement “ensures that all parts of the UK can continue their response to Covid-19 through the winter months.” The UK Government said. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay MP said: “We’ve already committed unprecedented levels of support to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“This extra funding will provide the nations with the certainty they need to plan through these difficult months.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We remain committed to an economic recovery for the whole of the United Kingdom and will continue to work closely with the devolved administrations to support people and businesses.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Delyn MP Rob Roberts welcomed the additional funding for Wales, but queried the Welsh Government allocations of funding. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Conservative MP said: “To date, Welsh Government is yet to allocate more than £1.8bn of the additional funding they have received, despite businesses in Delyn being in dire need of assistance – particularly in the hospitality, tourism and “close contact” industries such as hairdressing and beauticians. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Hopefully the Welsh Government will use this extra funding, which takes their “unallocated” funds to £2bn in total to provide some respite for local businesses that have already been well served by the U.K. Government’s monumental furlough and self-employed grant schemes and have now been forced into closure once again because of high case numbers in South Wales despite those in the North being only a fraction as severe.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Latest News